1 – Read Completely the book by Barry Strauss, the Spartacus War.
2 – Watch the movie, 1960 American epic historical drama film directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring Kirk
Douglas as the rebellious slave named in the title. This is easily found on Netflix or it can be checked out
of our library: DVD PN1997 .S6378 1998 For that matter, you can also request it via GIL Express.
Paper: You have read Barry Strauss’ book (a product of 2010) and the 1960 movie, Spartacus. I have also
made additional resources available. In a paper of at minimum six pages, compare and contrast these two
works. Both of them cover the same historical person, Spartacus. Compare and contrast their portrayal of
Spartacus. Why are they so different? What aspect of the historical Spartacus gets emphasized, and why? If our interpretation of history tells us as much about history as it does about us, what is transpiring that makes these two portrayals so radically different? In other words, what is happening in the late 1950s and 2000s that becomes reflected in the portrayals of Spartacus?
rubric
1. How Well Does the Paper
Describe the movie’s and the
book’s portrayal of Spartacus?
How well does it do what is
asked of it?
Best: Answers inquiry fully or nearly completely
Above Average: Mostly answers the question with a few gaps
Average to Poor: Incompletely answers questions but tries
Below Average: Tries to Answer the questions but largely does not
Failing: Fails to answer questions and largely does not try
/5
Comments on Section 1:
2. Use of Primary and Secondary
Sources and Examples. Does the
essay adequately draw upon
source material to prove its
arguments? Does it have at least
three successful quotations from
the text?
Best: Paper identifies and uses exceptionally well sources helping thesis
Above Average: Paper makes use of primary sources sometimes & sometimes well
Average to Poor: Paper only occasionally uses sources and not often well
Below Average: Paper mostly fails to use/or makes brief mention of sources
Failing: Paper fails to use primary sources; it is more of an opinion piece
/5
Comments on Section 2:
3. Development of the idea from
thesis statement (what you hope
to prove) to supporting documentation
and argumentation to
a proper conclusion.
Paper proves what it set out to prove & is clearly developed with a thesis and conclusion
Paper mostly proves its thesis, but is sometimes unclear
Paper tries to develop and prove, but mostly is not successful and has weak conclusion
Paper is unfocused, looping in and out of proving thesis
Paper is sadly a complete organizational disaster
/5
Comments on Section 3:
4. Use of proper grammar,
punctuation, spelling, and the
elimination of written “infelicities”
so far as possible. See “Writing
Expectations,” Next page.
Paper averages less than three errors per page of any kind in writing
Paper averages around three‐five errors per page of any kind
Paper averages around five to seven errors per page of any kind
Paper bordering on being completely error prone, 7‐9 errors/page
Paper contains an unacceptable number of errors. Spell check?
/5
Comments on Section 4:
5. How well does the paper
describe the ways in which the
movie and book were porducts of
their time?
4.5‐5: Paper does an excellent job of suggesting how the movie/book reflects the time in
which it was made.
4‐4.5: Paper does a good job of suggesting how the movie/book reflects their times, but
perhaps stronger in one than the other
3.5‐4: Paper does an adequate job of suggesting how the movie/book reflects their
times, but
3‐3.5 Paper makes attempt at description but it is unsupported by the evidence, or the
Conclusion does not match what the paper’s evidence says
3 < What description, what evidence?